Rocking horse



Jan. m, 19% M. w. LENDER 2,494,384

ROCKING HORSE Filed May 24, 1946 Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROCKiNG nonsn Martin -w..i.mae Aiviso, Calif. Application 24, 1945; Serial no; 872,051

The present invention relates tonew and use- "ful improvements in toys, and more particularly to the class of toys commonly known'as rocking horses.

An important object of the present inventionis to provide a toy of this character in which aliplatform is provided for the horse, togetherggyvith means for swingably supporting the platform from uprights to provide for a forward and-backward swinging movement of the horse. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character in which the parts maybe collapsed into a compact form for convenient storage or shipping purposes.

-A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construe tion, which is neat and attractive in appearance, strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the of the hinged brackets for securing the horse in an'upright position on the platform, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevationalview.

showing the folding brace.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a base for the toy whichis of open frame construction and including a pair. of longitudinal frame members 6 and a pair of transverse or end frame members 1 connected to the ends of the longitudinal frame members in any suitable manner, preferably for easily and quickly detaching the frame members from each other to provide a knockdown construction.

Corner posts 8 are secured at their lower ends at the corners of the frame 5 by means of screws or the like 9, whereby the posts may be swung downwardly against the inside of the longitudinal frame members 6 into a collapsed position. The posts are secured in an upright position by 2 cla ms. (Cl. 272-52) 2 the "longitudinal frame members Band to the 'Aplatform i2 is provided at its under side adjacent each end with bearing brackets is in which the lower portion of U-sh'aped hangers H are 'rotatably' received, the bight portion iii of the hangers extending transversely under the platform and the arms It of the hangers extending upwardly in diverging relation at the sides of n the-platform and formed at their upper ends with horizontal trunnions ll pivotally received *in openings 18 at the upper portions of the posts" 8. The arms it of the hangers are constructed of material possessing the necessary resiliency to is spring the arms inwardly when inserting the trunnions I! into position in the openings Iii-and '-when removing the trunnions therefrom.

When'detaching the hangers from the posts 8, the hangers may be swung into position under 20 the platform i2 into a collapsed position.

As more clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the ends of the platform l2 are reduced inwidth, as indicated at l9, to provide shoulders 20 on the platform to function as stops 2 for engagement with the arms it of the hangers to" limit the forward and backward swinging movement of the platform and thus prevent ini'nryto a child using the toy. I

An'imitation toy horse 2| is constructed from a board or other flat material and is supported in an upright position on the platform l2 by "means or brackets 22 and 23 secured to the upper surface of the platform and engaging the opposite sides of theboard 2|.

Ihe bracket 22 includes a horizontal member 21 secured to the platform l2 and a vertical portlon'25 secured to one side of the board 2| by a bolt'and wing nut 26, the vertical arm 25 of the bracket being hinged to the horizontal arm 24 for qqvertical swinging movement by means of a con- "ventional hinge structure 21.

' The bracket 23 includes a horizontal arm 28 formed of hinge plates 29 and 30, the plate 29 being secured to the platform I2, while the plate '30 science to swing vertically thereon. One end of the plate 30 is formed with a vertical arm 3l engaging the side of the board 2| opposite the vertical arm 25 of the bracket 22, the upper portion of the arm 3| being formed with a notch 32 adapted for releasable engagement with the bolt and wing nut 26.

The upper edge of the board 2| forming the imitation horse is provided with a saddle 33 and pegs 34 providing a hand grip for a child seated means of folding braces i0 pivoted at their ends to on the saddle.

It is believed the manner of constructing and assembling the toy will be readily understood from the foregoing, and when it is desired to ship or store the toy in a collapsed form, the bolts and wing nuts 26 are released, the vertical arm 3] of the bracket 23 swung downwardly and the horse 2| may then swing downwardly on the platform by means of the hinged bracket 22.

The trunnions ll of the hangers 14 are sprun out of the openings in the posts 8 to fold under the platform and the posts 8 mayalso be folded on the inside of the frame member 6 by releasing the braces It. If desired, the frame members 6 and I may also be disconnected from each other I to store the frame in a knock-down condition.

It is believed that the details of constructionp manner of use and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing with out further detailed explanation.

It is to be understood, however, that ,though I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, thesame, is susceptible of certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein de" scribed, and the scope of the appended-claims; I-Iaving thus described the'invention, \vhat- .I claim is: 4 l, In a rocking horse, a horizontally-disposed base comprising a pair of longitudinal frame members, a transverse framemember detachably connected to each of the ends of said longitudinal frame members, an upright arranged at each 1 corner of said base and having one end pivoted to the adjacent longitudinal frame memberfor ,movement from a horizontal position in alignment with said frame member to a position perpendicular to said frame member, a foldable brace contiguous to each corner of saidbase hav- .ing one end pivoted to the longitudinal frame member adjacent thereto and having the-other end pivoted to the upright adjacent thereto, a platform interposed between the long-itudinal and transverse frame members, opposed; hangers ,pivoted to said platform for swinging movement from a horizontal to a vertical positionand -detachably and suspendedly connected to the other fends of .the adjacent uprights,-a-;transverselvdisposed bracket rigidly supported on the-top of said platform and having a portion pivotallyponnected thereto for swinging movement from a .iiposition horizontal with respect to said platform .It'o a position2 vertical with respect to saidplatforma second transversely-disposed bracket positioned on the top of saidplatforrn-in spaced ,vparallel relation with respect to the first-named 1 bracket and rigidly supported on said'platformf fsaid' second-named bracket having a @portion ,pivotally connected thereto for swinging move- .lment from a position horizontal with respectto i, said platform to a position vertical withrespect .160

to said platform, said latter movement being at right angles with respect to the swingingm vement' of said first-named bracket, atoylhorse provided with a seat portion positioned between T the portions of said brackets and havin g 'it (les ee 5,9267

4 in engagement with said portions when the latter have been swung to the position vertical with respect to said platform, and means extending through the portion of the first-named bracket, toy horse, and the portion of said second-named bracket for detachably securing the toy horse in vertical position.

2. In a rocking horse, a horizontally-disposed base comprising a pair of longitudinal frame i;nen1bers, .a transverse frame member detachably connecte'd' to each of the ends of said longitudinal frame members, an upright arranged at each Eec'orner of said base and having one end pivoted to the adjacent longitudinal frame member for movement from a horizontal position in align- .1nent,..with:-'said frame member to a position perpendicular to said frame member, a foldable brace contiguous to each corner of said base having one end pivoted to the longitudinal frame member adjacent thereto and having the other ,end pivoted to the upright adjacent thereto, a platforminterpcsed between the longitudinal'and transverse' frame members, opposed. hangers pivoted to said platform for swinging movement ..from a horizontal to a vertical position and detachably'and suspendedly connected to the other ends of the adjacent uprights, a transversely: disposed bracket rigidly supported on the top of said platform, an arm pivotally connected to said bracket for swinging movement from a position horizontal with respect to said platform to a posi tion vertical with respect to said platform, a second transversely-disposed bracket positioned on "the top of said platform in spaced parallel rela tion with respect to said first named bracket and REFERENCES CITED The:following references are of record infthe file of this patentr .UNITED STATES PATENTS If Number Name Date" 739,729 sholty Sept. 22,1903 1,143,395 Moore July 27,1915

1 ,172,939 Carmine Feb-22,1916

1,245,439 1 Converse Nov. 6, 1917 :1 1,468,993 2 Converse Sept. 25, 1923 i" FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date s eden Apr. a ces 

